Poston Mill Holiday Park receives Gold David Bellamy Conservation Award

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by Alice Scarsi

Nature lovers’ haven, Poston Mill Holiday Park, flies the green flag once again

For the eleventh year in a row the beautiful Poston Mill Holiday Park, set in Herefordshire’s Golden Valley, has received the prestigious Gold David Bellamy Conservation Award, a recognition of the hard work done by its owners, Wayne and Sarah Jones, in protecting and enriching the natural habitat which it surrounds.

Being as passionate about nature and wildlife as he is, David Bellamy has proven to be keen to give recognition to those who demonstrate their efforts to preserve and promote the amazing green areas of Great Britain, as part of the veteran nature lover’s awards scheme. Along with Poston Mill Holiday Park, he has bestowed more than 600 parks with awards this year alone, with his belief being that parks are important centres of education and the nation’s favourite route to geting-away-from-it-all.

Poston Mill Holiday Park, however, has added another string to its bow, having also recently received the Five Star Gold Award for Quality in Tourism through Visit Britain, an award given to only a relatively small handful of holiday parks throughout the country.

The park, open all year, is not only a haven for holiday home owners but also for touring caravans, motor homes and campers. To find out more, visit the park’s website here.

Ben Fogle to appear at Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015 alongside Camping and Caravaning Club

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by Alice Scarsi
Still undecided about going to next month’s NEC show? Here’s news that will convince you to head along to Birmingham

Channel 5’s Ben Fogle is set to attend the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show as guest speaker on behalf of the Camping and Caravanning Club.

Attending the show opening on Tuesday 17 February, Ben will share his passion for the great outdoors and take part in a Q&A session on the main theatre stage.

Ben is not exactly a stranger when it comes to adventure, with his show, Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild, in which he meets people that have decided to make a break from the city to explore the wilderness, proves.

The intrepid adventurer’s presence at the show won’t just be reserved for the most extreme adventurers though, as avid camper Ben explained: “Camping and caravanning holidays are perfect for families that have a healthy spirit of adventure. Adventures can be big or small, you needn’t necessarily cross Antarctica on foot, or the Sahara. There’s nothing more fun or healthy than exploring the natural environment, and camping puts this simple joy within reach of everyone.”

In this spirit, on Tuesday, Ben will also be on hand to present the Camping and Caravanning Club‘s exciting new product, aimed exactly at adventurerous young people and families that don’t want to give up to their daily comforts when camping or caravanning. What that is remains secretly under wraps.

Ben’s partnership with the Club is not a first: a few years ago, in fact, he helped promote its Real Richness campaign, which revealed how much caravanners enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle.

Tickets for the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show are on sale now. To get your tickets, click here. CaravanTimes has also got some tickets for the event up for grabs in our latest competition, so make sure you head over here to enter to win.

Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show promises a free annual imagination tune-up

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by Joe Jeffrey

Unsure where to holiday this year? Unleash your imagination and become inspired at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you couldn’t have helped but heard about the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015, which takes place in just a few weeks between 17 and 22 February.

Irrespective of whether you’re an avid caravanner, camper or motorhomer, come 17 February there will be something for everyone to enjoy under the roof of the NEC.

With over 350 exhibitors under one roof, the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show is sure to whet your appetite whatever you come along for. From motorhome manoeuvering to accessories megastores, there’s something for everyone; even dogs can get in on the action with the return of last year’s dog agility sessions.

That’s not all though, as the accompanying video will show. With a whole host of holiday destinations to choose from for 2015, you might be a little stuck on where to go, and that’s where the show comes into play. After all, with a little bit of imagination anything is possible. As long as you’ve got a ticket to the show that is!

Tickets are available from as little as £7 by clicking here. And, if you’re feeling really lucky, click here to enter our competition to win tickets to the show now.

Take a technical tour of the new Elddis Autoquest motorhome for 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes takes a look at the all-new 2015 Elddis Autoquest

Renowned for its quality, value and driving performance, the Autoquest is an award-winning range from Elddis and the most popular choice when it comes to motorhoming within the UK.

A new Peugeot boxer cab seems to have added a more modern and contemporary feel to the Autoquest, whilst a new wealth of features inside the cab have brought it up to date for 2015, including DAB radio and cruise control.

With five popular layouts – from two-berth to six-berth – the 2015 Autoquest offers a little something for everyone. And with lots of space for the family to relax inside, you certainly won’t be short of room.

The craftsman cabinetry ‘Aspley Walnut’ design seems to add a touch of flair, complementing the rest of the interior design, and ample kitchen space is sure to provide you with plenty of room to get to grips with mealtimes.

CaravanTimes popped along to County Durham to find out more about the Elddis Autoquest, so make sure you check out our video for a tour and let us know what you think.

New Coachman Caravan layouts for 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes visits Coachman Caravans in Hull to take a look at their all new layout lineup for 2015

Highly regarded for all the right reasons across the industry, Coachman Caravans has added a whole new range of quality-built caravans for 2015. Not only that, but the manufacturer has also opted for something uniquely different following the introduction of a mid-bathroom, end island-bed layout on both new Laser 650/4 and VIP 545/4 ranges.

CaravanTimes took a trip to Coachman’s headquarters in Hull to find out what made them take the decision to provide ‘proper separate bedrooms’ to their 2015 lineup, as well as why they opted for a central bathroom, enabling more privacy and comfort throughout.

Additionally, we take a look at the versatile Laser 620/4 – a twin-axle, end bathroom four-berth offering for 2015, which looks set to offer lots more space for your travels whilst remaining original and unique when compared to other industry offerings in many ways.

So take a look at the video and let us know what you think. We reckon you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what Coachman has done.

Win tickets to the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes offers you the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show at Birmingham’s NEC next month

You couldn’t help but have heard about the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show by now and that’s certainly for good reason. The show, which hits the NEC in Birmingham from 17 to 22 February, is set to be one of the biggest and most exciting we’ve seen so far.

Despite already having had one ticket giveaway back in December, we’ve decided to hold another competition to give you the chance to win one of 15 pairs of tickets to the show everyone’s talking about.

Everyone who’s anyone in the world of camping, caravanning and motorhoming will be at the NEC, with plenty of celebrity guests coming along for the ride, including Sally Gunnel, Matt Baker and Melodie Baker – we understand security will have Ray Mears’ photo at all entrance points in order to prohibit entry (that last bit was a joke).

Advance tickets are on sale now, but as part of our latest competition we’re giving 15 lucky visitors to the site the opportunity to win a pair of tickets.

To enter, simply fill out the form below and like our Facebook page here before the deadline of midday on Friday 13 February. Don’t forget to include a valid e-mail address so we can let you know if you’ve won.

Good luck! We’ll see you there!

Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on 13 February 2015 and will be notified via the email address supplied in the entry form
Only one entry per person
No purchase necessary
No cash or alternative will be offered
This competition is open to new or existing CaravanTimes members and Facebook fans only
No employees of CaravanTimes or StantonPace Ltd may enter
The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over

Ray Mears fired from Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show following Room 101 caravan controversy

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by Joe Jeffrey

Justice served as Ray Mears forfeits five figure fee following caravan gaffe

Survival expert Ray Mears has been sensationally dropped from the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015 following a diatribe on Room 101 in which he branded caravans “hideous” and “ghastly”.

The outdoor enthusiast proved he was less than enthusiastic about caravans during his appearance on the BBC’s Room 101, as revealed on CaravanTimes earlier this week, when he chose caravans as his top pet hate during the show’s ‘wild card’ round.

On the subject of caravans, the bushtrail and survivalist expert said: “I just think they’re hideous. Huge swathes of our coastline are just covered in these things.”

Describing caravans as something akin to “mobile breadbins,” Mears went on: “I wouldn’t mind so much if they could be painted green, but they have to be painted white.

“You go down to Devon and all you can see are cities of these displaced urban people in their ghastly white caravans.”

Pelican Communications, promoters of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC between 17 and 22 February have since confirmed Mears’ sacking, saying: “We booked Ray Mears in November, after the show was filmed, and there was never any mention of what he had said when we signed him up.

“There was no way we can now have him come along to speak at our event, he has slagged off the community we are in charge of promoting and protecting.

“We can’t align with someone who doesn’t agree with our core values. He has insulted the people who come to the show.

“It’s all a bit elitist, saying that you are okay going outdoors if you are staying in a man-made shelter.

“It’s a shame because we are all about getting kids off their backside and into the outdoors, an ideology I’d have thought we would have shared.

“He has lost a five figure sum.”

CaravanTimes reached out to Mears following his appearance on the show, but has yet to have received comment.

People power has certainly prevailed, and it certainly looks as though show organisers have sat up and listened to caravanners’ comments in light of Mears’ appearance on Room 101 and the news which followed on CaravanTimes.

If you didn’t catch what Mears said the first time round, check it out from the 22-minute mark below, whilst patting yourself on the back if you were one of the many caravanners who took it upon themselves to make their opinion heard.

And remember to make sure you let us know what you think of the disposal of Raymondo’s services in our comments below; after all, it really is apparent that your comments count. So much so in fact that, in order to celebrate the strong community spirit shown, we’ve decided to set up a new competition for you to win tickets to the show. Click here to enter now.

NCC releases official statement on Ray Mears Room 101 caravan controversy

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by Joe Jeffrey

NCC express their disappointment in Ray Mears following comments made on Room 101

Organisers of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015, the National Caravan Council (NCC), have released an official statement regarding the recent controversy surrounding Ray Mears’ appearance on Room 101 and their decision to withdraw Mears from the show, set to take place at Birmingham’s NEC from 17 to 22 February.

The statement reads: “Following his recent appearance on BBC’s Room 101 and after careful consideration, we have decided not to work with Ray Mears at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015 so he will no longer be appearing as a speaker at the event in February.”

Mears’ comments, which can be read here in full, seem to not only have taken the UK and Europe’s caravanning community by surprise, but also the NCC, as the statement continues.

“We enlisted him as a credible ambassador because of his love of the great outdoors, something which our industry and community share. Therefore we were disappointed to hear his comments on TV, which were made and pre-recorded before we entered into discussion with Ray’s agent. We feel his agent should have made us aware of this pre-recording the moment we began communicating.

“Knowing that these comments would come to light and then agreeing to work with one of Europe’s largest shows of its kind, with tens of thousands attending, we feel he has acted in a less than professional manner,” a spokesperson for the NCC continued.

The question remains, what next for Mears? As previously stated, CaravanTimes has reached out to the survivalist for comment in order for him to provide his side of the story, but we have yet to hear anything – perhaps he’s playing dead. Our invitation still stands though – you’ve got our number.

Greenline 484 campervan proves popular at Caravan & Motorhome Show 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

Innovative Greenline eco-campervan made to save space and the environment

Following on from our write-up on the Mogo Freedom, which featured at the Caravan & Motorhome Show in Manchester last week, another innovative leisure vehicle we came across was the Greenline 484 slide-out campervan from Greenline Leisure Vehicles.

Making its debut at the Manchester Caravan & Motorhome Show 2015, the Greenline 484 looks like it could be set to revolutionise campervan practicality with its slide-out functionality, literally enabling you to pack a whole lot more space into a standard van.

The initial range is based on the Renault Trafic/Vauxhall Vivaro and each campervan is fully customisable dependent on customer requirements – be it the number or travel seats (from two to four), additional berths or different types of kitchen unit, the Greenline is seriously versatile.

A great deal of design work has gone into making the Greenline 484 something that managed to garner so much attention and positive feedback at the Caravan & Motorhome Show 2015 last week. For example, the battery and gas tank are mounted under the floor, whilst a fresh water tank remains concealed inside in order to prevent water from freezing during the winter. The slide out functionality on the also allows for better height and width, including a bed that lays at almost 1.3m wide.

The environment has also been highly considered and is also a reason as to why Greenline have opted for such an innovative slide out design which allows for the features of a larger van to be incorporated into something much more compact and fuel efficient with an impressive 48mpg. Materials used in the conversion process are also assessed for sustainability.

Check out the photos in our gallery by clicking here and let us know what you think.

125,000 rural drivers set to benefit from fuel rebate

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by Joe Jeffrey

17 areas of UK set to benefit from fuel rebate scheme

Good news for caravanners and motorhomers comes today, following news that approximately 125,000 drivers within rural locations throughout the UK are set to benefit from fuel rebates.

Following approval from the European Commission, the Rural Fuel Rebate Scheme is set to come into effect, which will allow for retailers to claim as much as 5p per litre fuel duty relief on both unleaded petrol and diesel, with savings going straight to the customer.

The rebate scheme, which has been in effect in the Northern Isles, Hebrides, Isle of Scilly and Islands of the Clyde since 2012, looks set to come into force in 17 areas of the UK including Devon, Cumbria and North Yorkshire as soon as it has sought final approval from other EU member states via the EU Council.

News comes at a time where fuel prices have plummeted to the third lowest in 25 years – great news for those wishing to hit the open road and make the most of it while they can.

University of Central Lancashire works with Lunar Caravans to create caravan of the future

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by Joe Jeffrey

Lunar Caravans teams up with designers of the future to create micro caravan

Students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are working with Lancashire-based Lunar Caravans to create the micro caravan of the future.

The design students from several courses across the University are looking at ways to make caravanning more appealing to a younger audience by coming up with smart interiors, multifunctional fittings and energy efficient ideas for future designs with a particular focus on small caravans.

Lunar, which has been trading for 46 years, has taken the step of creating and delivering a prototype micro caravan to the Preston campus specifically for the UCLan students to test out their ideas before presenting back to the company next year.

Lunar chairman and CEO Brian Mellor commented: “We are a very proud Preston company so it gives us great pleasure to be associated with our city’s university and working together for the good of local students, local business and the community.”

The collaborative venture means that the final year undergraduate product design students and postgraduate interior design and surface pattern design students can work on a real-life industry projects and potentially see their designs manufactured by Lunar in the future.

Graham Hill, Product Design course leader, said: “The project has allowed all of the students to work with a genuine client and get feedback from industry designers, which is invaluable. Our students will bring fresh eyes to it and Lunar has encouraged them to think freely and not be constrained by current design trends.

“Although we are still in the middle of the project we’re already seeing exciting ideas from students across all courses who are coming up with creative solutions to making small spaces work efficiently, producing energy smart vehicles and devising special functionality designs that will ultimately mean a person can tailor a caravan design to suit their individual needs.”

UCLan final year product design student Urte Jurkeviciute is already working on her designs. She said: “I’m looking at ways to open up the caravan space and align it more closely with nature. With clever use of space and lighting I want to make a small space feel much bigger and airy.”

“It’s fantastic that we have a full-size prototype to work on. It makes it much easier to test our designs and helps us to visualise our ideas. It’s exciting to work with an industry client and have the chance of seeing my work manufactured by them. It’s the ideal grounding for my future career.”

MA Interior Design course leader Steve Bennett added: “This collaboration fits in with the University’s ethos to engage with businesses and communities to prepare our students for the real world. I hope this is just the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership.”

The students will showcase their final designs later next year when Lunar will also decide whether to take any ideas forward.

In addition, students studying fashion brand management have also worked with Lunar Caravans to conduct initial customer demographics research to analyse the caravan market.

We here at CaravanTimes can’t wait to see the results and wish all of the students involved in the project every success.

Ray Mears hits out at caravans on Room 101 in advance of appearance at Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

Ray Mears expresses his dislike of caravans and caravanners during Room 101 rant

With less than a month to go before the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015, special guest speaker Ray Mears has hit out in a scathing attack on the caravanning community.

Appearing on BBC One show, Room 101, where celebrities compete to have their pet hates banished forever, Mears, 50, nominated the caravan as his number one peeve.

On the subject of caravans, the bushtrail and survivalist expert said: “I just think they’re hideous. Huge swathes of our coastline are just covered in these things.”

Describing caravans as something akin to “mobile breadbins”, Mears went on: “I wouldn’t mind so much if they could be painted green, but they have to be painted white.

“You go down to Devon and all you can see are cities of these displaced urban people in their ghastly white caravans.”

Ironically enough, Mears also chose to send “fakes” to Room 101, stating: “I can’t stand fakes of any description.

“I like reality, and the world seems to be increasingly full of make-believe fakery and I think we should be aware.”

Hmmm. so let’s get this straight; Mears can’t stand fakery of any kind, but is more than happy to stand in front of a sea of caravanners whilst talking about the virtues of this popular pastime, having previously expressed a strong dislike for them? Pot, kettle Ray?

In light of Mears’ comments, show organisers, the National Caravan Council (NCC) exclusively told CaravanTimes: “We were planning promotional activity at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show using Ray Mears and we were disappointed to hear his recent comments made on television about caravans.

“Consequently the activity with Ray is under review. Having said that we would like to extend an open invitation for Ray to take a holiday in a caravan which will show him what a fantastic experience it actually is and how it enables millions of people to enjoy the great outdoors.”

If the NCC does decide to allow Mears to remain as special guest speaker at the show, we can’t help but feel as though the outspoken toff may need to bring the best of his survival skills to the stage in order to fend off the swathe of angry “urban people” in attendance. Isn’t that worth the admission price alone? If so, get your tickets here now!

CaravanTimes has reached out to Mears for comment and we’ll be sure to update you, should he decide to come down from his tree house anytime soon.